Ask the Author: David Anderson
Answered Questions (7)
David Anderson
The blinds were partially open and the moon shone on her naked young body as she lay on her back on the bed, her café au lait skin gleaming lustrous, almost iridescent. She propped herself up on her elbows, her tongue flitted teasingly over her bright red lips, and she said, "Come to me, David, I'm so hungry."
David Anderson
I'd visit C. S. Lewis' Narnia and meet all kinds of unusual people and animals. What could be more wonderful?
David Anderson
Great question. I have already read Jo Nesbø's new thriller 'The Thirst' and I think it's excellent. The author breaks no new ground but Harry Hole is back and that's never a bad thing. Another early summer read (perhaps sooner) will be 'The Fever' by Deon Meyer. Already a top thriller writer, Meyer is underappreciated in North America, and this promises to be his 'breakthrough book' on this continent. I certainly hope so.
David Anderson
Jess Matthews and Cora Lambert, in David Dodge's 1954 thriller 'The Lights of Skaro'. This is the best "couple on the run" novel I've read. It also has a brilliant opening sentence: 'The goats were poor traveling companions'.
Dodge cleverly and expertly manipulates the reader right up to the very last page. Can Jess and Cora stand each other long enough to stay together and keep ahead of their relentless pursuers? Will they succeed in escaping against all the odds? And what of their relationship then?
Read this largely forgotten but excellent novel to find out.
Dodge cleverly and expertly manipulates the reader right up to the very last page. Can Jess and Cora stand each other long enough to stay together and keep ahead of their relentless pursuers? Will they succeed in escaping against all the odds? And what of their relationship then?
Read this largely forgotten but excellent novel to find out.
David Anderson
Hi Bob. Thanks for your question. I am not very active on social media. For example I am not on Facebook or Twitter. There seems to be two views on the subject: that social media is vital for writers, and that it's unlikely to make significant difference for the great majority of us. All I know is that it is not something I want to spend time doing.
I do keep a very simple blog to have somewhere to post news or views whenever I want or need to do so. And I am very drawn to Goodreads because it is a site which gathers together a great mass of keen readers on the look-out for new things to read. This seems to me to be a primary place where authors should be!
Thanks again for your question. It made me think about this subject afresh.
I do keep a very simple blog to have somewhere to post news or views whenever I want or need to do so. And I am very drawn to Goodreads because it is a site which gathers together a great mass of keen readers on the look-out for new things to read. This seems to me to be a primary place where authors should be!
Thanks again for your question. It made me think about this subject afresh.
David Anderson
I'm one of those writers who doesn't believe that there is any such thing as 'writer's block'. One can always write something, even if it is not very good. But, as Anne Lamott reminds us, first drafts are always s****y, so that's no excuse not to write.
However, I do prevaricate a lot before starting a new manuscript. This is where being part of a writers' group helps, as one must have new material to submit to the group. My group's looming monthly deadline gets me back to the keyboard.
Once I finally begin writing I can keep going quite easily. With 'Earthly Powers' I set myself the rule of writing a minimum of 600 (good) words per day, and that included Christmas Day and New Year's Day. No excuses, no exemptions. Keeping strictly to this rule meant that I was able to complete the novel in four and a half months.
This was great at the time but it meant that I put off my new, current project, 'Meaner Things', for longer than I otherwise would have. With it, I haven't set myself any strict daily targets but, to my pleasant surprise, I'm actually writing even faster than before. Of course, getting 'Earthly Powers' published has been a great impetus to forging ahead with my new novel!
In short, a partially completed novel keeps bugging me until I get it finished. So, as you can see, writer's block is not a problem for me. Just laziness!
However, I do prevaricate a lot before starting a new manuscript. This is where being part of a writers' group helps, as one must have new material to submit to the group. My group's looming monthly deadline gets me back to the keyboard.
Once I finally begin writing I can keep going quite easily. With 'Earthly Powers' I set myself the rule of writing a minimum of 600 (good) words per day, and that included Christmas Day and New Year's Day. No excuses, no exemptions. Keeping strictly to this rule meant that I was able to complete the novel in four and a half months.
This was great at the time but it meant that I put off my new, current project, 'Meaner Things', for longer than I otherwise would have. With it, I haven't set myself any strict daily targets but, to my pleasant surprise, I'm actually writing even faster than before. Of course, getting 'Earthly Powers' published has been a great impetus to forging ahead with my new novel!
In short, a partially completed novel keeps bugging me until I get it finished. So, as you can see, writer's block is not a problem for me. Just laziness!
David Anderson
I'm currently hard at work on 'Meaner Things', a contemporary thriller set in Vancouver. Emma ran out on Mike ten years ago. Now she’s back and needs his help to bring down a very rich, very bad man. Can the two conspirators trust each other long enough to pull off a heist so difficult it makes 'Ocean’s Eleven' look like a walk in the park? Watch this space!
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